Graduation
by Secret Agent Girl
Summary: Little missing stuff from FREE AGENT. Lots of S/V. Contains spoilers. Only one chapter! Just something I thought of.


Title: Graduation  
  
Author: Secret Agent Girl  
  
Spoilers: Up and including Free Agent  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Ok, "From Two to Three" isn't over, I just thought that this past episode was missing something, mainly the Graduation scene. So I decided that I was going to write it. Now if you havnt seen Free Agent, this has actual dialogue from the show (Thank you Secret Agent Fan http://www.efanguide.com/~alias) so you may not want to read it if you really can't stand spoilers. BY THE WAY, we're going to pretend the call from Sloane happened AFTER the ceremony rather than before it, just for all intents and purposes of this story! But I tried to write this well, some is prewritten (school was really boring today) the rest coming from my mind as I type, something I've never done, so bear with me. It's just ONE chapter and I don't know the length, guess we'll find out when it's over! Please review, I love my reviews, and check out my other stories (sorry gotta plug my own stuff!) Thanks! Lots of Love to all you! - Secret Agent Girl  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Graduation:  
  
  
  
  
  
The sun shifted into the room and landed on her face. The brightness and heat caused her eyes to flutter open, only to land on the man lying next to her, a smile playing across his face. She smiled at the sight, his dirty blond hair tousled, as his chest rose and fell slowly. She breathed deeply, taking in his scent once more. She shifted her body ever so slightly, not wanting to wake him.  
  
He could feel her move, feel her eyes on him. Images of the previous hours swirled in his head and his smiled widened. The feeling of her skin against his, the way she tasted, all came flooding back as he blinked his eyes open, to come face to face with her. "Hi."  
  
"Hi." She whispered back, smiling brightly. He could barely keep his eyes open and she laughed softly as they blinked closed again. "How are we going to stay away today?"  
  
He laughed lightly, keeping his eyes closed. "Who cares?" He knew he didn't. He had been waiting too long for last night to care about anything else other than the fact that he was still lying next to her. He opened his eyes again, and took in the sight of her once more. His whole body itched to touch her and his mind was in such a high state of euphoria, he almost didn't know what he was doing when he reached out and allowed his hand to caress her shoulder. Almost.  
  
"Vaughn?"  
  
He shifted his body, climbing further onto the pillow. "How come you never call me Michael?"  
  
"I do sometimes." Had he not been so content with his place right now, he would have rolled his eyes. Apparently the one time she introduced him to Francie as Michael, constituted as 'sometimes'. "Vaughn?"  
  
That time he couldn't help but laugh. "What?"  
  
"I'm graduating today."  
  
He blinked at her. "What? When the hell did you have time to take a class this year?" God, everything about her amazed him.  
  
She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I wasn't even going to go to the ceremony but... And I've been lying here remembering why I never gave school up and why I killed myself writing papers instead of... I don't know, accepting that I'd be an agent forever."  
  
He watched her as she spoke and knew what she was saying, even though she never came out and said it. So he took it upon himself to voice it. "You're going to quit the CIA, aren't you?" His suspicions were confirmed by the gentle nod of her head.  
  
"I think it's time for me to do so. These past two years I've been living four lives, SD-6 Agent, CIA Agent, 'Banker' and graduate student. I'd like to cut it down to one. Last week I went down to three and today I go down to two, and even that's one too many." He could only nod, afraid that if he spoke, he might express his deepest fear, that he wouldn't be apart of that life she wanted so badly. As if she was reading his mind she smiled at him. "No matter what happens, you're sticking around. I want to be with you with or without the CIA."  
  
He smiled and kissed her shoulder softly. "So you graduate today."  
  
"Yes I do." She smiled. "At 1:00 this afternoon, I officially graduate."  
  
"Will and Francie going?" She nodded. "Well tell them to save an extra seat."  
  
"No, Vaughn . . ."  
  
"No. I'm going. I can finally see you in public and let everyone know that I know you. I'm going and you can't stop me."  
  
She laughed and sat up, pulling her tank top from the night before over her head. "Fine." She yawned loudly. "Seriously, not going to be able to stay awake today."  
  
Vaughn laughed as he sat up next to her. "As much as I don't want to say this, we have to get up, especially since I have to go home to change before I go in today. Something tells me Kendall won't appreciate me going in, in wrinkled day old clothes and no tie."  
  
Sydney yawned again as she collapsed back against her pillow. "I know." He started to rise when she grabbed his arm. He turned around to see what she wanted and was met by her lips claiming his own. "Five more minutes."  
  
  
  
  
  
She slipped her cap on her head and secured it to her hair with bobby pins. She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. She stepped out of her room and made her way to the kitchen where Will and Francie were sitting.  
  
"Oh there she - okay. Seriously? Oh, my God." She smiled at Will's lack of words.  
  
She turned to Francie and gestured to herself. "Francie, what? Earrings, necklace? What do I need?"  
  
Francie looked over her quickly. "Let's see . . . You look beautiful." She embraced Sydney in a warm hug. "I'm so proud of you."  
  
Sydney glanced at her for a moment, thinking that something was seemingly wrong but she brushed it off. "Thank you. Can you guys save an extra seat today?" Sydney asked as she fixed the strap of her shoe.  
  
"Is your dad coming?" Will asked.  
  
"No. He, he has to work. He and I will probably get together later this week. No, um, Michael from the bank is coming." She ducked her head, pretending to fix the other shoe as Will raised his eyebrows.  
  
Before Will could say anything, the phone ran. Francie stepped over and picked it up. She began to talk to the person on the other end, and held up a finger, signaling she'd only be a moment, before walking out of the room.  
  
"Michael from the bank?" Will asked as Sydney moved into the kitchen.  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"As in Michael Vaughn?"  
  
Will watched as Sydney ducked her head, a pink tint rising in her cheeks. "Yeah."  
  
"So that *was* him leaving this morning."  
  
"What?" Sydney's head shot up.  
  
"I saw you and him leave this morning. I had come back to grab something I forgot and I was driving down the street and I saw you kiss some guy before you both went in your own cars and drove away. I figured it was him." Will smiled at Sydney's nervous look. "Stop looking at me like someone just killed your cat. I think it's good. You tow obviously had this connection. And with everything . . ." he paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully knowing Francie was in next room, "the way it is, I think you deserve to be happy."  
  
Sydney smiled. "Thank you."  
  
  
  
  
  
He fidgeted with his tie, adjusting and readjusting it as he walked down the hallway. This was not a conversation he was looking forward to. He reached the door of the correct office and took a deep breath, before knocking.  
  
"Come in."  
  
He slowly opened the door and walked into the office. "Agent Vaughn, can I help you with something?" Jack Bristow met Vaughn with his paten blank look.  
  
"There is something I need to talk to you about." Vaughn pulled his coin from his pocket and took the seat that Jack had offered him. "I know that you and I don't see eye to eye. I also know that I am not your favorite person. And I am acutely aware of the fact that I am not under any right to criticize you in anyway. But I think that I need to on this.  
  
"In less than two hours, your daughter is graduating from graduate school, something that despite her life style, she had worked so hard to achieve. I know that you are a busy man and I know that his agency owes a debt of gratitude to you, *I* owe a debt of gratitude to you. But it amazes me that you could push your daughter aside the way you are." Vaughn kept his eyes on Jack, fearing that if he looked away he might lose his nerve, as his fingers idly played with the coin.  
  
"You weren't always there for her the way you should have been, we both know that. But after every thing that you have been through together, I would imagine that the least, the very least you could do was show up at her graduation. She hasn't come out and said to me that she was disappointed in you not going today, but I can see it in her eyes. I have come to know Sydney very well and I know when she is in pain. You not going today, claiming that you just can't get away from work, it's something you would pull a few years ago, something you did pull a few years ago, not something that you would pull now. I know that she would love nothing more than to have both of her parents sitting there watching her achieve something that she worked towards not because something bad had happened to her, but because she wanted to.  
  
"We both know that, that can't happen. She knows it can't happen. But you can be there Jack. You can be there for your daughter today in a way you never were in the past. It's the least you could do for her.  
  
"I know you most likely will ignore every word I have just said to you. But I hope that you won't. The ceremony is at 1:00." Vaughn looked at Jack for a moment more and then stood, quickly exiting the room before Jack could rebut.  
  
He reached his office and entered, breathing a sigh of relief at getting it all out. Glancing at the clock he noticed he had to leave to get there and was about to leave when Weiss entered his office. "Did I just see you come from Jack Bristow's office?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And?"  
  
"And what? I had to discuss something with him, and I did, and now if you don't mind I have to leave." Vaughn pulled on his coat and made his way towards the door.  
  
"And where are you going at 12:15 in the afternoon?"  
  
"UCLA."  
  
"She's graduating today, isn't she?" Vaughn nodded and steadied himself for the lecture on being stupid and irrational for going to the ceremony. "Give her a hug for me would you? I'd go but I have too much to do around here." Weiss smiled at Vaughn.  
  
"Yeah, I will. Thanks Eric." Vaughn called as he opened the door.  
  
"No problem, Mike."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
They walked down the isle and found a row close to the front and took their seats, Francie placing a coat on the chair next to Will. They began a soft conversation when Vaughn appeared at Will's side. "Hey, thanks for saving me a seat."  
  
Will smiled at Vaughn. "No problem. I know she appreciates you being here."  
  
"Really? 'Cuz she tried to talk me out of it." Vaughn laughed lightly as he settled down in his seat.  
  
"Yeah, well she appreciates it, trust me." Will restated as the ceremony began.  
  
  
  
  
  
She stood and approached the podium as her name was called. She reached the Dean and took the diploma from him, shaking her head. She made her way towards the end of the stage when she saw Francie and Will sitting next to Vaughn smiling up at her. She smiled back and gave them a little wave.  
  
At the end, she made her way over to the three of them and Will grabbed her in a hug the moment she was there. "You graduated!"  
  
"I know." She smiled as Francie gave her a hug. "Took me long enough."  
  
"But you did it." Vaughn smiled as she turned to him and he embraced her. "Congratulations, Syd. For everything." He whispered in her ear.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered back. "So who's going to by me lunch?" She smiled at the three of them.  
  
"If they all don't mind, I'd like to." A deep voice sounded behind her.  
  
Sydney swung around to see her father standing behind her. "Dad? What are, what are you doing here? I thought you had to work."  
  
"Well, I was able to get out of it." He smiled slightly as he hugged her.  
  
"But how did you know when it was?"  
  
"Someone who cares about you a lot let me know when everything was happening. Woke me up. Let me see that I should be here." Jack told her softly.  
  
"Thank you for coming Dad." She smiled up at him again. She turned back to the three standing behind her. "Is it ok with all of you if I meet up with you all later?" She asked praying that they would all understand.  
  
"Of course!" Will smiled and both he and Francie grabbed their coats and hugged her again. "We'll see you later. Have fun." They turned and made their way through the crowds.  
  
She turned to Vaughn and pulled him into a hug, "Thank you." She whispered into his ear. "I know that it took a lot for you to go and basically tell my dad off. Thank you so much."  
  
Vaughn held her tightly. "Well you deserve to have your family here. I tried to get it so that your mom could come too, but well, you know how Kendall is."  
  
She pulled back and whipped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah I do. And this is more than I could have asked for. Thank you so much."  
  
"I'll see you later." He told her as he nodded towards her dad.  
  
"Yeah. Thank you." She smiled. "Bye." He smiled at her again before grabbing his coat and following Will and Francie's lead.  
  
"So you ready?" She asked her father as she turned back around to him.  
  
"Yes." He smiled again and held his arm out to her and they stared off. "So you and Agent Vaughn . . ."  
  
"Dad." She smiled. "He's not my handler any more."  
  
"I know. And I can't say I'm surprised. He obviously makes you happy and you, well it seems as though you give him a back bone." Jack opened the door to his car for her and she slipped inside.  
  
"He's always had a back bone, Dad. This time you just took the time to listen to him."  
  
"Well, I suppose I did." He started the engine and pulled out of the crowded parking lot. "Congratulations, Sydney. You have really out done yourself these past few years. I'm proud of you."  
  
"Thanks Dad." She smiled as they made their way down the highway. "That means more to me that you could ever know."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
End Note: I hope you all liked it. I hope that they weren't too out of character. Review please!!!! - Secret Agent Girl 


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